Arithmancy
by natrhymeswithcat
Summary: Short LJ oneshot. Lily plus James equals? Love.


AN: First fanfic! Please note that in this story, arithmancy is just like muggle math. Happy reading!

Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns it all.

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Lily sighed. She had spent the last hour attempting (but constantly distracted by... nevermind) to study for the huge arithmancy test her professor had set. Nine freaking chapters to "prepare you for the turmoils you should expect in your N.E.W.T.s" to quote her professor.

So maybe time was not the best subject to start with. Constant reminders that she should have been in bed hours ago did not help her focus. Once again she focused on the question in front of her, trying to understand how the formula was applied.

"Calculate the time difference if Broomstick A is traveling at 48 m/h and Broomstick B is traveling at 56 m/h if Broomstick A arrives in James...

Lily squinted and reread the question. She was not hallucinating (unlike the previous sixteen times). It really was James - well Jamestown Station at least.

Groaning, she flopped down to her bed, her auburn hair spread out around her. She had to admit that yes, James was not the arrogant toerag he was years ago. He had definitely changed, even Dumbledore had noticed and made him head boy. They were rather good friends now, actually. He was rather nice, caring, sweet, with his messy black hair, and all hunky and tan from quidditch -

Lily stopped mid-sentence. She did not just call James Potter "hunky". She did not have a crush on James potter. She-

Alright, so what if she did? Just her luck when she begins to fancy him, he decides to stop asking her out every day. It would explain the reason why she couldn't stop thinking about him, especially this late at night.

But she had to finish at least one chapter! Stupid James with his distracting smile all crooked and...

Merlin, she was going on about him again.

Well if that was what her brain wanted that was what it was going to get. She rewrote the question, it now said:

"Calculate the time difference if Lily travels by broom at 48 m/h and James is traveling at 56 m/h if James arrives earlier for their date at The Three Broomsticks next Hogsmeade weekend"

Two minutes and half a foot of parchment later, Lily is happy, and a little smug, to find out that James has to wait 7 minutes before she arrives.

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The next night, Lily was once again one her bead. Her red hair tied into a bun, she was ready for more arithmancy.

"Solve the following equations-"

Once again using her method from the previous night, all "x's" become "l's" and "y's" become "j's"

The method proves effective, and by the next week, all her notes feature James Potter.

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A few days later, Lily walks down to the shared heads common room to find a frantic James.

"Lils, have you seen my Divination notes?" James calls from across their shared common room.

"Hhmmm... Weren't they on that table over there?" Lily answers in her half asleep state.

James crosses over to the side of the room.

"Yes!" he yells, and pulls them free. Unfortunately, this causes Lily's folder, also on the same table, to fly to the floor.

Quidditch training or not, James is unable to catch as it falls and slams onto the ground, sending parchment spilling all over the floor.

The thump wakes a dozing off Lily. Her eyes widen as she realizes that it is all of her parchment that is now spread all over the floor. All of her neatly organized notes for each and every class, projects, essays and... arithmancy notes as well.

Lily jumps up with a shriek. James cannot see those notes. No, no, no...

But it is too late. Before she even begins to cross to the other side if the room, James has already picked up one of her notes, the very first one she wrote, about them flying on broomsticks. On a date.

In the next five seconds, a flurry of emotions cross James' face. Confusion, shock, realization, bewilderment, hope.

"Lils... Mind why telling me you and I are going on a date ...on your arithmancy notes?"

Lily is beyond mortified. Her face is red and her palms clammy. Slowly she looks up, and realizes something is off.

There is no goofy, teasing smile on James' face. No smug expression, no smirk. Only pure hope, and the faintest glimmer of something else that Lily just can't quite seem to put a name to. His eyes are blazing yet soft, full of warmth.

"Uhm... Well... Ahhhhhh..."

James walks slowly across the common room to a frozen Lily.

He stands infront of her, and tilts her chin up to face him.

Green emeralds stare into deep hazel, none of them even trying to look away.

He leans down. She, as if by instinct, puts her arms around his neck.

He kisses her.

Lily still remains frozen, but almost instantly begins to kiss him back. Now James is the one who is shocked. Lily Evans, the Lily Evans is kissing him. His eyes flutter open, assuring him that it is indeed real, and not just another one of his many dreams involving her.

The kiss deepens. Her hands fly to mess up his hair, and his arms curl round her waist.

"Oi Prongs, I need my –"

Sirius stops mid sentence, and the banana he was chewing in his mouth falls to the floor as his mouth drops open.

"Thanks alot Pads" says a very red James.

Lily however, is smiling, though nervously.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Ask her out already!" Sirius nearly shouts.

..."Go out with me Evans?"

Lily responds by grabbing the collar of James neck, and brings his lips don to hers again.

They didn't even notice Sirius leaving (though he was running and banged the door in his hurry to get out)

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A week later, it is the Arithmancy N.E.W.T.

Lily looks through her notes one last time, but then stops on a page.

The handwriting isn't hers, but it is just as familiar.

L + J = 3

Good luck


End file.
